Woody Gooch's work is blessed by the light and in awe of the heights. Making his name in the world of surfing with imagery that captures both the immensity and instantaneity of the sport, his work naturally evolved to incorporate short film, narrative, and portraiture while at every turn maintaining the keen eye and responsiveness to the moment found in those early works.

Woody is widely known for his vivid visions of nature and intimate human portraiture. He has exhibited in galleries from Los Angeles to Zurich and collaborated with clients as varied as Corona, DIOR, Audi, Billabong and MoMA.

This is where I have enjoyed working in both forms, filmmaking and photography. The parallels have a precise meaning for me. I like working with the idea of naivety and leaving my decision-making open to the possibility of the unintentional. What's important is that I leave space for the viewer's imagination, thoughts, and prejudices to flourish. There must be a window for someone else to step in and bring their own point of view. If I give you all the context and force my version to the fore, there's less space for nuance. 

When I first started, I enjoyed the anonymity of observing from afar and felt slightly uncomfortable about being in someone's personal space. Over time, I realised that if I were to walk up to people, I wanted to photograph and chat with them and tell them a bit about myself. People sometimes forget to do that — you've got to give some of yourself away and put something at risk. In that circumstance, both the photographer and the subject share moments of awkwardness and uncertainty, which is important and gratifying. Most of my portraits are photographed with little preparation. The spontaneity of that meeting is really crucial and meaningful to me.